LETTERS

Much to be proud of

I’m so proud of our Republican leaders. Remember the Joplin tornado and Republican Eric Cantor’s position that federal disaster-relief funds for tornado victims in Joplin would not be approved without budget cuts elsewhere? Federal government typically pays for disaster relief, but Cantor said the government must maintain fiscal discipline, comparing the situation to a family putting off buying a new car when a family member became ill:

“When a family is struck with tragedy, like the family of Joplin … let’s say if they had $10,000 set aside to do something else with, to buy a new car and then they were struck with a sick member of the family or something, and needed to take that money to apply it to that, that’s what they would do, because families don’t have unlimited money. Neither does the federal government.”

He said we can’t help everybody every time something happens.

Republicans Tom Cotton and Paul Ryan stood up to northern elitists like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who wanted welfare for the so-called victims of Hurricane Sandy when they voted no for helping Sandy victims get federal welfare to rebuild their shattered lives. Let’s see if Republican Congressman Cotton maintains his fiscal discipline concerning our April tornadoes.

Republicans say people should use their own self-reliance instead of depending on government help, like buying their own insurance, not living in dangerous areas or making the choice to buy their own storm shelters or not. CHUCK STEPHENS North Little Rock

Can anyone answer?

I am a gun owner, but here is a question no one I’ve ever asked has been able to answer: Since our Constitution states that we can all keep and bear arms, whose definition of arms are we to consider?

When our Constitution was written, except for huge army cannons, arms consisted of only knives, bows and arrows, and muzzle-loaded single-shot rifles that took 10 or more seconds to reload.

Now, the dictionary defines arms as “weapons, any instrument used in fighting or warfare, a warhead.”

Wouldn’t to keep and bear arms have to include things like flamethrowers, machine guns and even atomic bombs?

As I read it, our government cannot keep me from owning an atomic bomb if it cannot keep me from carrying a concealed six-shooter. Can anyone explain this to me?

KENNETH E. OBERSTE Little Rock

On honorable service

This is in response to Richard Picard’s letter to the editor. In his letter, he wondered why Republicans didn’t come to the defense of John Kerry when he was “widely denigrated” for his service during the Vietnam War.

I would like to remind Mr. Picard that John Kerry not only threw his medals over the White House gate in protest of the Vietnam War, he, I believe, falsely testified before Congress, accusing his fellow servicemen of outrageous charges during this war. He brought dishonor to himself and his service.

Tom Cotton has served his nation honorably and should be applauded.

JOANNE FROEMMING Hot Springs Village

A marvelous exhibit

Paul Greenberg’s “What changes, what stays” column on Carroll Cloar is the best short essay I have ever read on Cloar.

I suppose if one were to cross Georges Seurat with Edward Hopper on one side and Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner on the other, the child of this union might resemble Carroll Cloar.

Like Mr. Greenberg, I would urge everyone not to miss the Cloar exhibit now on display at the Arkansas Arts Center. If you go for no other reason than to see the masterpiece, Where the Southern Cross the Yellow Dog, you will be well rewarded.

My thanks to everyone, in particular Dianne and Bobby Tucker, for hanging this marvelous exhibit.

PHILLIP H. McMATH Little Rock

Wasted law resource

I think what is happening to the firearms used to commit criminal activities that are then confiscated by law enforcement here in Arkansas and across the United States is a classic example of ignorance, mismanagement and a lack of vision for the future needs of law enforcement, prisons, the National Guard, Game and Fish Commission and any other government and law enforcement agencies requiring firearms to accomplish their duties.

In my travels through various states, I’ve learned that confiscated firearms are being destroyed and sold for scrap iron, and lately, here in Arkansas, sold at public auction.

As a deputy sheriff in my younger days, I had to purchase my weapon, clothing, badge and all the equipment I needed to perform my duties. This was a big expense for the wages I was paid. There was no source of weapons or equipment to utilize.

It looks to me like the agencies should be collecting, cataloging and identifying these weapons by type, manufacturer, caliber and serviceability as well as forensic study, and then destroying the unserviceable weapons and warehousing the serviceable weapons for issue to any law enforcement or government agencies that need them to accomplish their duties. But they are not doing anything with these weapons.

It looks as though these agencies are not futuristic in vision, but anti-gun in thought and behavior.

LUCIAN SIMMONS Oil Trough

That explains a lot …

The filings recently by Wal-Mart with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the 2014 annual compensation for their new president and chief executive officer, Doug McMillon, were very interesting.

McMillon is to draw $954,00 in salary and more than $24 million in other compensation “including stock awards and nonequity incentives” for the fiscal year, a total of $25.3 million.

Other excutives with the company such as Bill Simon, president and CEO of Wal-Mart U.S.; Charles Holley, executive vice president and chief financial officer; and Rosalind Brewer, Sam’s Club president and CEO, will earn $13 million, $8.1 million, and $11.7 million, respectively.

I now understand why Wal-Mart apparently cannot afford to keep but a handful of checkout points open at once in their stores, even during heavy shopping periods.

JIMMY L. JEFFRESS Crossett

Seems like a photo op

My local newscast the other night included a press conference with Gov. Mike Beebe offering state assistance to those affected by Sunday evening’s tragedy, and there over his shoulder stood Mark Pryor, offering nothing, apparently only taking advantage of this sad situation for another photo op.

Pryor appears desperate.

KIM GARTMAN Sheridan